Embracing the Neurodiversity in YOU!

If you are a neurodivergent adult or if you just suspect that you are, therapy can help you work toward goals and develop your own unique framework and paradigms that can lead you to a better life. You may have a diagnosis of Autism or ADHD, or you may have been professionally evaluated and told you do not have a diagnosis. Regardless of what assessments reveal, many people can have features of these diagnoses (and therefore the impacts in daily life) without meeting full criteria for the conditions. Every person is unique, and the experience of being neurodivergent is just one aspect of the self. Your “neurotype” is unlike anyone else’s. The kaleidoscope of possibilities for how neurotypes present to others are infinite, with some aspects being more obvious and others hidden.

No one can know what it is like to be you as you live your life, so having someone to talk to who can understand your paradigms and framework is so helpful. Seeking out a counselor who has many long-lasting personal relationships with neurodivergent adults is a good place to start.  Christina Unruh, LCSW enjoys many neurodivergent relationships and appreciates the delightful impact that neurodivergent adults bring to her life.

In addition to specialized trainings in ADHD AND Autism, Christina Unruh, LCSW is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which is foundational to helping clients manage intense emotional experiences and relationship challenges. She helps clients by positioning the focus of the therapeutic work on the client’s own behavioral changes, rather than the behaviors of others with the understanding that our changes often have a “domino affect” on those around us.

Note: Christina Unruh, LCSW is not an expert on Autism and neurodivergence, although she has participated in several advanced trainings yearly. Christina’s training and lived experience working with clients and loving neurodivergent family members and friends  enables her to fearlessly go where “no man has gone before” as clients bring their questions and experiences into focus and build a life worth living. She feels qualified to screen for Autism and Adhd but she is not trained to provide psychological testing, which must be done by a licensed psychologist. She can make referrals for testing, upon request, to clients when they are ready.

For Parents of Neurodivergent Adults….

If you are a parent reaching out on behalf of an adult loved one, it may be because you have concerns about independence, social awkwardness, self-care, school, work, or problem family dynamics.  Christina recommends that caregivers/parents reach out and get their own support with regard to their loved one’s symptoms and behaviors. It is common for families to develop behavioral patterns that do not serve anyone except for possibly one person in the family. This is not sustainable nor is it in the best interest of anyone. When behavior patterns are not functioning for ALL people in the family, bitterness and resentment grows, obscuring the love that is shared. Family connections and close bonds are extremely important to the growth of neurodivergent family members throughout the lifespan.  Therefore it is vital for caregivers/parents take the lead to improve family life by examining their own role, whether chosen or not, in the systems that are not working. Christina Unruh, LCSW provides this valuable insight and guidance to parents and caregivers through Parent Coaching.